Born to Pose

“Born to Pose” is a beautiful “flamingo” pink handpicked, and named, by Ellen Miller. Ellen is one of our 2019 Spring Collection Honorees. Her story is below.

Ellen is seven years old. She’s fun and sassy. She’s our favorite little girl. It could be because she’s ours, or it could be because she has strength that amazes us all while being her perky self. Ellen a few years ago at the beach adopted the “flamingo pose” as her signature stand for pictures. This still goes on now. It’s just her thing. Like she told her dad years ago, “I was born to pose.” This takes me to Ellen’s fight.

Ellen was diagnosed with ALL (Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia B-Cell) on September 19, 2018. She is currently being treated at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, TN. The treatment for ALL is a two-and-a-half-year journey.

It all began on August 4th while sitting in a movie theater. Ellen complained with a pain in her leg, and I just assumed that her leg had fallen asleep. I recommended her to move around. She limped from the theater that day. Her pain was still there on Sunday, so my husband and I took Ellen to see her pediatrician, Dr. Cathy Phillippi, on Monday, August 6th. After an exam and some blood work to give a reference point, Dr. Phillippi believed it to be an infection in her bone that could be treated with antibiotics.

Ellen started 2nd grade on Wednesday, August 8th at Pillow Academy. Ellen is an active child. She loves soccer, basketball, softball and dance. Ellen played in her first soccer game of the year; she scored 2 goals. The pain in her leg really started bothering her, so she was moved to goalie. Finally, she asked to come out of the game. We took her back to Jackson to see her pediatrician the following day. This time her blood test showed that there was an infection, or so we thought.

After an MRI, Ellen was sent to Ochsner Hospital to see an orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Lawrence Haber. Uncertain that this was just an infection, on Sunday, September 16th, Dr. Haber did an exploratory surgery taking a piece of Ellen’s hip bone. He told us after the surgery that we would know something from it by Wednesday. On Wednesday morning a pediatric oncologist, a child-life specialist and a pediatrician entered Ellen’s hospital room, and they asked to speak with me and my husband. We took the longest walk of any parent’s life. Eric and I sat on one side of the table with the three of them on the other side. They gave us a list on a post-it note of the different types of cancers that it could be. They wouldn’t know until a CT scan. My husband went in with Ellen, and my mother and I prayed. Our prayer was that the Lord would show Ellen favor. He has on more than one occasion.

Through the steps of this journey, we have seen God’s hand on our lives. It has been the blessing of St. Jude and its staff and the Ronald McDonald House, where we could be a “normal” family of four for a short while; sometimes it has been Ellen’s numbers’ being exceptionally good or her not being as sick as predicted; sometimes it’s been through the loving support of friends, family, and even strangers in fundraisers, encouraging words, cards and gifts for Ellen, or meals cooked and delivered to our home to lighten our load. Even our Facebook page “Prayer Warriors for Ellen” support has been overwhelmingly uplifting to know how many people are following Ellen’s story and continue to pray for her and us. Always when we feel defeated with worry and fear, the Lord sends someone to comfort or help us gain a fresh perspective.” We have seen God’s blessings at every turn.

Ellen is a fighter. I know that her strength comes from the Lord. We have seen His hand at work more times than we can count. The definition of pose is “a particular way of behaving or standing.’ So considering that definition, the Lord has given her strength to stand and fight this battle.

Ellen was “born to pose!”

Pair with our base/top coat, Hebrews 11:1, for extended wear. 

Made in the U.S.A. and free of Toluene, Formaldehyde, DBP, and Camphor. All polishes are .47 fl oz. For external use only.  

All net proceeds go to Ellen and her family.  Therefore, we appreciate your understanding that we are unable to provide refunds or exchanges.